DRIVEN: Is The LEXUS GS Off To A BAD Start In Europe?

? Just waste a min on this stupid article, and it sounds like a good start.

But who in the world wants to get a 5 series competitor with 2.5 NA engine? For another 10% you can have decent luxury/performance together, so what's the point?

Just to sum up the facts of the article.

When compared to the BMW 525d.

525d====7.0s=0-62//// 56.5mpg /// £35k base price
GS 250===8.6s=0-62//// 31.7mpg /// £36k base price

Like the reviewer said, you would have to be very "Anti the German 3" to choose the Lexus.

If Lexus aren't going to concede and accept that diesels are what the Euro customer base want and provide them with a competitive diesel power plant, don't bother with anything other than the hybrid. The costs of importing the gasoline into a diesel dominated market far outweigh the benefits. Europeans, especially Londoners with the congestion charges, will find the hybrid far more appealing.

Dont forget that Toy/Lex and BMW just reciently partnered up to share engine platforms with each other. BMW gets Toyota's Hybrid technology and Toyota gets BMWs diesel technology...

Yes BD. Lexus is better than BMW (only in america).

half the sales of either the E or the 5. and at a substantially lower price. draw your own conclusions.

Is there anyone who believes that the official NEDC fuel economy numbers of a diesel BMW have anything to do with reality?

The 525d gets about 7.9 l/100 km (36 mpg UK / 30 mpg US) in the real world according to:

http://www.spritmonitor.de/en/overview/6-BMW/38-5er.html?fueltype=1&constyear_s=2010&exactmodel=525d&powerunit=2

Ahh YES !!!

I don't need to read some article to believe it. you see, i have ACTUALLY DRIVEN THE VEHICLE.

And while i did not average 56mpg {Too Impatient} i can guarantee that when my brother borrowed it from me for 10 days, he returned it with a display of 52.4mpg for his Ave Consumption.{ He does not have a Lead Foot}

Manufacturer fuel economy figures are GUIDELINES and nothing more. They indicate the type of fuel mileage that is achievable in mixed driving.

Everything else is subject to driving style of the driver, tire friction and pressure, environmental conditions, onboard weight, hell even the thinness of the air at certain times of the day etc. A BMW 525d is capable of getting 56 mpg+ depending on who is behind the wheel.

I've always wondered why Americans keep claiming that our fuel economy estimates are "overrated". I don't think so. My father for example drove a 2002 Mercedes E320 Sport (224-hp V6) that was rated at 10.6 L / 100 km from the factory. And yet my father, who doesn't exactly drive like a saint, always averaged 8.2 L / 100 km and sometimes 7.7 L / 100 km. He even checked this mileage at the gas station and the computer readouts were pretty much spot on. And this is with mixed driving, a bit of Autobahn driving at 130-150 km/h, city and normal roads. Now he drives a 2010 E350 CGI (292-hp V6) and averages even 7.5 L / 100 km in mixed driving. I myself get decent gas mileage with my car (2007 BMW 118i) easily besting the manufacturer claims. I check my mileage at the gas station based on km's traveled since my last fill-up and the amount of fuel put in at the gas station.

Wimmer

I can easily sum up the reason for you in 2 words.

IGNORANCe & ENVY

Ignorance in that some genuinely cannot fathom of a "Luxury" vehicle with anything less than a V6 or V8 powering it so thus mileage above the high 20s is just impossible.

Envy in that those who think it might just be possible that those in another country might have access to better vehicles than themselves will do everything they can to dispute the significant gap in mileage that is apparent.

It explains why some of them actually Believe the $ is the strongest currency in the world or that the USA has the highest % of Graduates in the world. { These are topics that have been debated on this site }.

The article is a bit out of date in regards to hybrids and the congestion charge in London. Hybrids are now NOT EXEMPT from the congestion charge anymore.

You are correct, however the large no of Lexus Hybrids that are present in london are a direct result of the years during which they were CC exempt.

The current Lexus GS will never be a major player in Europe because Lexus simply refuses to adapt to local market conditions. It's funny how Lexus thinks a "GS250 is an entry-level model" when in Europe a 2.5 V6 is already considered midrange.

And what's really lacking are true entry-level gasoline and diesel engines, a coupe and a wagon. We love wagons. They're practical and spacious and if they come with a fuel-efficient diesel they're the ideal car for many people, me included. No GS wagon? No sales. Period. Over 65% of BMW 5ers, MB E-Classes and over 79% of Audi A6s sold in Europe are wagons. And of those over 57% are diesel-powered. Source: AMS.

CHOICE. That's the word. The local European manufacturers offer us choices. We can buy a BMW 520d or an M5. There's a model for our unique tastes and wants from every premium brand in Europe. Not with Lexus or Infiniti. They offer us no choices at all.

Last but not least, their dealership network is thin to non-existent and the Lexus badge has no prestige here. We know the history of BMW, Audi or Mercedes from growing up with them, owning them and visiting their museums. Lexus? It's generally considered a meaningless and boring (and pretentious) brand here.

Nail....Head...Hit.

"Lexus? It's generally considered a meaningless and boring (and pretentious) brand here."

- Bite your tongue!!!! Does Europe even matter? Isn't the only thing of importance the American Market?